Pouty Penelope
by latinaspice
Summary: Derek and Penelope visit JJ at the hospital after Michael is born, after which Penelope adorably reflects on the visit. No longer a one-shot!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Just a little one-shot that has been floating through my head the last little while... We need more Morcia lately, so here you go! I do not own Criminal Minds or the characters, just my deep-rooted wish for the OTP to end all OTPs.**

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"Penelope? Come on sweetie, it's time to go," Derek reminded her, for the fifth time.

"Just five more minutes?" She pleaded, looking over at JJ and Will who sat smiling at her.

"Visiting hours are way over, Baby Girl... we'll come back tomorrow," he assured her, slipping his coat on.

"I'm going home tomorrow!" JJ smiled, happily.

Penelope looked down at the small baby in her arms, and sighed, kissing the top of his head. "I'll come see you tomorrow, I promise!" She cooed, handing Will his son. She gave him a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek, and did the same to JJ. "And maybe I'll see you guys, too," she winked, as Derek bid them goodbye and they left.

"Want to pick up some dinner?" He asked, as they waited for the elevator.

"Sure," she shrugged.

"Well do you want to cook? I'd offer, but...you know... I'm the one who burns water,"

"It's up to you," she shrugged, walking into the elevator.

"Baby Girl? Are you alright?" he asked, concerned.

"Did you see his little fingers? They were SO SMALL!" She cooed, as they got to the parking lot.

"Yeah, and his little tiny nose," he grinned, unlocking the doors to his truck.

"He's just adorable... all around cute," she sighed, hopping into the passenger seat. Derek started up and drove out of the parking lot, as they headed to get some food.

They were quiet, until he looked over at her. "Baby Girl? Are you alright?"

"Yeah..."

"You sure?" He asked, and she sniffled. "Baby Girl? Why are you crying?"

"I want a baby," she mumbled, tears streaming down her face.

He took her hand. "Sweetheart, don't cry!" he smiled, thinking she was adorable for being so sensitive.

"I'm sorry..." she sniffed, wiping her eyes dry.

"But... do you really want a baby without getting married and all that?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, getting pouty.

"Aww... well... honey... I mean... if you... if you _want_ a baby, then... you know..."

She took her seat belt off and curled up beside him, and they just drove home, skipping take out for now.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: It's been a while, my apologies. Work has gotten busy, keeping me away from my beloved Morcia... But I've stolen a moment to continue this story... Thanks to ddgorgeous who gave me some great ideas, I will attempt to continue this story!**

 **Thank you to those who nominated me for the Profiler's Choice Awards 2016 - I'm up for Best Garcia/Morgan for my very first story, 'Derek Reimagined.' Words cannot express how truly grateful I am to be nominated! Thank you, thank you, thank you! - Now go vote, see details at the end of this chapter!**

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The next few days were a blur for Penelope, as she sorted through her feelings and let everything sink in. The team had been called away for a case, so she could be alone with her thoughts when she wasn't scouring her searches.

Visiting baby Michael in hospital shifted things for her and Derek, and she was worried. Worried that the shift wasn't positive, worried that Derek would bolt; worried that she wouldn't get her fairy-tale ending. The two had slowly shifted from the flirty name-calling and sweet gestures, to what she would consider dating. -Wait. Maybe? She didn't know. They spent time at each other's places, and their physical chemistry was incredible, but what were they? She couldn't define their relationship, and it scared her. What was equally terrible was that she couldn't talk to Emily or JJ about it. Was there even anything to talk about? They'd probably shrug it off and tell her she was imagining things. Just scratching an itch. The worst part of it, was – was she the scratch or the itch for Derek?

She grumbled at her thoughts as she entered her apartment. "Add on top of that my hysterical melt down in his truck, it's no wonder he hasn't called." She grumbled aloud, to her empty apartment. Upon Emily's return she had reclaimed Sergio, so Penelope was once again alone. She had scared Derek away. And really, who could blame him?

 _"_ _If you want a baby, then... you know..."_ his words rung out in her mind, as she changed out of her work clothes. She was only paying half attention to their conversation that evening, but she could fill in the blanks. Would he support her? Did he even want a family? Was he saying what she thought he was saying? _"Do you really want a baby without getting married?"_ There it was. The doubt she knew he felt all along. He wasn't the type to settle down. She didn't even know what was happening between them; surely, she couldn't expect him to jump on board the baby train? Could she? He would never want more, let alone with her… He didn't even answer the text she sent the day before to check in. She knew they were busy on an active case, but he usually called or they'd FaceTime at the end of the night. Not this time. _Probably because he wants to bolt…_ she thought sadly, as she trudged to the kitchen. Her favourite wine would be her comfort tonight. As she reached for a glass, even that didn't settle her nerves.

Three glasses in, she sadly looked at her phone's screen. Nothing. Just the time, staring right back at her. Ticking away, and increasing her negative thoughts. _He's probably out with the team, picking up a random stranger to keep him company for the night._ She shook her head sadly as she got in bed. She shouldn't think so little of her Hot Stuff. And yet, a nagging feeling would keep her restless that night…

 _TBC..._

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 **On the short side, I know, but let me know what you think! The next chapter will be from Morgan's POV. We'll see what's going on in that beautiful mind of his.**

 **I got an idea while watching a rerun the other day and it hasn't left my head. So I'll post that in the next few days as well.**

 **Seeing as I'm still new to posting my stories, any feedback at all that you have, positive or constructive, is fuel to my love for writing. Even if you have ideas, I'm open! Let me know what you think.**

 ** _The 2016 Profiler's Choice Awards are on! Calling all CM readers and Authors! Join us for the final round in our annual Profiler's Choice CM Awards; help us choose the best of the best Criminal Minds fanfiction and let your voice be heard. Check out the final ballot and rules at the Profilers choice Awards 2016 Forum. All rules and information can be found there. Voting ends February 28 2017._**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: My apologies for the delay, folks! Without further ado, here is the next chapter, this time from Derek's POV. Please read on and enjoy!**

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Derek felt a bounce in his step as he walked off the jet. The case had been hard and in a remote area, keeping the team so busy he couldn't call Penelope as often as he would have liked. By the time they'd return to the hotel at night he'd be so tired, he'd crash; too late to phone or send a message as she'd long be asleep by then. Now they were back in Quantico, and he couldn't wait to see her. He'd been doing a lot of thinking the last few days, and finally built up the courage to talk to her and share what was on his mind. He wasn't sure what he would classify their relationship as, but he knew he wanted more. He thought about the conversation he had during the flight back as he got to his truck…

 _He noticed Prentiss watching him from across the aisle, so he grinned at her, and she motioned for him to sit with her. Everyone else was either wrapped up in their minds or asleep, so he would hopefully get the privacy he needed to ask her some questions about his favourite subject: Penelope._

 _"_ _You've been giddy since we left, what's gotten into you, Morgan?" asked Prentiss, smirking._

 _"_ _I've just been thinking." He lowered his voice, and leaned forward across the table. "I kind of felt a shift between Garcia and I, and… I'm excited. It's in the direction I was hoping, and… I think it's a good thing."_

 _"_ _So what's up? Are you two dating?"_

 _"_ _I want to, we haven't really gotten a chance to talk about it… but something's changed."_

 _"_ _Or you've finally opened your eyes and seen what's in front of you for over a decade!"_

 _"_ _Trust me, Princess, I've always seen what's in front of me. But I was never confident enough to-"_

 _"_ _Don't even try to give me that. You, not confident?" she scoffed._

 _"_ _I'm serious" his smile faded. "With everything that's happened in my life, and my past… I never let things get serious with a woman I was seeing. With Penelope, it's different… She gets me, she sees me for who I am, and she doesn't care that I- that my past is what it is. But despite all that, what if I'm still not enough? What if she realizes that she can do so much better than me?"_

 _"_ _Morgan, you don't have to worry about a thing. You two are perfect for each other, and she's head over heels for you. She feels about you the way you feel about her. For 11 years I've watched you two. All the flirting, and pet names, and seeing how you've grown closer than anyone else on this team. Believe me, you're meant to be. Just don't let that worry get in the way of something special."_

 _He smiled, settling back into his seat. Just then, he heard movement behind him. Looking up, he didn't see anything, but then he heard it:_

 _"_ _Oh, trust me, I'm sure the tenth floor knows things between you have changed direction!" Dave scoffed from his seat behind them._

 _Derek groaned. "Please just don't say anything to her yet. Promise."_

 _"_ _I promise. Go get your girl!" Dave called back._

 _"_ _I won't. But promise that you will!" Prentiss smiled._

Now as he headed home, he grinned to himself. Would it be too late to go see her? He suddenly wished Penelope would move in with him, so he could spend all his free time with her. As he drove, he must have grabbed his phone at least four times to check if he had a message from her. He hadn't heard from her in a few days, and he was having trouble sending messages with the poor reception he had. So much had gone one that left little time for him to either call or video chat with her; now that the case was over he'd make sure to make up for that.

He didn't care how it happened, if they got married or not, he just wanted her in his life. Forever.

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 **I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment, it means a lot! Any feedback is appreciated. More to come shortly!**

 **Also, remember that the Profiler's Choice Awards 2016 are on now until Feb. 28/2017. Head on over to the forums to vote!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hi everyone, here's another update - things are at a bit of a standstill between our OTP, but not to worry - I'm a fan of HEAs :) Read on, review, and enjoy!**

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He slipped into her apartment as quietly as possible, and quickly kicked off his boots to not make any more noise. He looked around, and noticed an almost empty wine bottle on the coffee table, along with a glass that had been tipped over. He picked it up along with the bottle and put them in the kitchen, then headed into the bedroom. He paused in the beaded doorway, in awe of the sight before him. There lay Penelope, sprawled on the bed still wearing her silk robe and her glasses. He watched her for a moment before going over to her side and slipping her glasses off before kissing her forehead tenderly.

She stirred and slowly opened her eyes, gasping when her vision focused and she realized it was Derek who woke her. "De- what are you doing here? What time is it?" She whispered, sleep still clouding her head.

"Shh, it's late. I didn't mean to wake you, I just wanted to see you" he cooed, tucking a curl behind her ear.

"You didn't answer my text…" she pouted, sitting up to put her glasses on.

"When? I didn't get one," he frowned, checking his messages, and showing her.

She reached for her phone and opened hers too; only then did she notice her last message indicated it was not delivered, and had an information bubble beside it. "Oh… it didn't send… I thought you-"

"What, that I'd ignore you? Never, Baby… We'd get back so late to the hotel every night, and reception was so sporadic, that I figured you'd be sleeping, so I didn't want to risk waking you. So I thought I'd come see you the moment we got back."

"And now you're here," she smiled faintly.

"Have you had a bit of wine tonight, Baby Girl?" he grinned, starting to undress to get in bed.

"I did… More than a bit." The reasons why she had the wine came flooding back to her, as she watched him pull his belt off.

"Everything ok?" he asked.

She could ask. She _should_ ask. She should tell him everything wasn't ok. But her head was foggy and she wasn't in the mood to argue. So instead, she threw the covers off and motioned for him to climb in bed. He joined her and wrapped his arms around her, but instead of snuggling into her favourite spot as she always did, she pushed his arms off her and sat up again. "Derek, what are we doing?"

"Uh…" he looked over at her, concerned. "Going to sleep? What do you mean?"

"This. Us. You and me. Something's different."

He chose his words carefully. She had wine tonight, and he could tell she was emotional. "Baby Girl, we… I don't know. I feel it too, but we've never actually talked about it."

"So, let's talk."

"Mama, how about we talk when you're clear-headed?"

"Get out" she grumbled, defeated. _Of course he doesn't want to talk, he doesn't want to put a label on it because it would make it real._ She groused.

"Pen-"

"Get out!" She shouted, louder this time.

"Did I do something…?" he asked, genuinely worried.

"Of _course,_ you don't want to talk! You don't want to put a label on it – whatever _this_ is – because it would make it real!" _Frack, I just said that out loud, didn't I?_

He looked up at her and smiled softly, taking her hand in his, placing it over his heart. "Sweetness, I do want to talk about it. I do want to put a label on it, because I do want to make it real. I want to make sure this isn't just a dream, that I'll wake up and I'm not next to you… But it wouldn't be right to have this conversation that you may have trouble remembering tomorrow… You know what happens when you drink more than two glasses." He looked into her eyes, she could see the wheels turning. "My guess is… three? No, four."

"Stupid profiler…" she pouted.

"Do you want me to write it down? We could sign a contract to make sure we talk?" he chuckled. "I promise I would love to talk more about this. About _us_ – and make it real. I don't know what to say to make you believe me… But I want us to both be well rested and refreshed, I think we owe it to ourselves to give this conversation the time and attention it deserves."

"That was a lot of talking, Hot Stuff… I think you're right. You said lots of words that sound nice, but-" she yawned loudly, and lay back down, this time snuggling into him. "Red hurts my head… and I can't exactly concentrate with a Chocolate God lying in my bed…" She yawned again and fell asleep instantly.

"Tomorrow, my sweet…" he whispered, laying a kiss on her forehead and closing his eyes. He could tell she still had her doubts despite not being quite sober, but he was determined to prove himself to her, no matter what it took.

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 **So... Will she remember? What will her reaction be? Stay tuned to find out!**

 **Also, time is almost up to submit your votes for the Profiler's Choice Awards 2016 - Voting ends Feb. 28, 2017.**

 **I'm nominated for Best Morgan/Garcia :D A million thanks to whomever nominated me, I'm over the moon excited to even be considered. You're the best! Head on over to the forums to vote for your favourites.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This took longer than a day or two, my apologies. Work has taken up all my free time, but here's the next instalment! Thanks for all your comments, favourites, and reviews!**

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The team was called out on several cases back to back, so they never exactly got to talk. Regardless, Derek was doing his best to move forward and prove his commitment. "We have plans Saturday night!" he announced, walking into Garcia's lair one day.

"…We do…?" she hesitated. "What kind of plans?"

"JJ and Will are attending a gala for the PD, and we're going to their place to babysit!" He grinned, proud of his planning skills. This would be perfect, they could take a dry run and see what it was like. He could see if he really was as good with kids as he hoped he'd be. He already knew Penelope was a natural; he couldn't wait to have a houseful with her.

"Babysit…? JJ wouldn't leave Michael, he's a newborn and-"

"He's almost three months old, and their second kid. She's a pro, and besides. I offered, and she said yes."

"You di- she _did_?!"

"What? You don't think they'd trust Uncle Derek and Aunt Pen with their boys?" he smirked.

It wasn't that at all. She wasn't sure he wanted to. She didn't want to corner him, and send him running. She was surprised he hadn't yet, but… he did offer… "Saturday, you said?" She gave him a small smile. She was excited to spend time with her Godsons. And of course, with him.

It was Saturday at 8:34pm, and Penelope was now singing an entirely different tune. Henry had been running around all day, and Michael had been fussy. Michael now had a fever and was crying for the past hour, and Henry wanted to stay up with her and Derek. He wanted to watch a movie, but he cleverly insisted it was because the baby was crying. Frazzled, Penelope wiped the sweat off her brow, and resumed her negotiation with her oldest Godson. "C'mon, buddy, if your parents come home and find you awake, they'll be soooo upset!"

"But I want to watch Spider Man 2 with you! You _promised_!" he pouted.

"I did, but that was earlier. Remember we were going to put it on, and you wanted to watch your cartoons instead? You had a choice, and you chose your shows."

"Aunt Pen… Pleeeeease? I promise I won't tell mommy. _Or_ daddy."

Just then, Derek walked in the room, rocking Michael. "Ok, little man, let's go. You said you were going to show me that book you were reading!" he announced excitedly, not leaving any room for argument.

"But Mikey's crying!"

"Here, I'll take him…" Penelope offered to Derek, trying to hide her pout. She tried gauging his reaction; he was probably exhausted and frustrated. This was not a good idea at all.

"Thanks mama, I'll take over as soon as I'm done. As for you," he smiled over to Henry. "You got me all excited about your book, you can't let me down, now!" and Henry raced off to his room.

"That was brilliant," Penelope smiled, sadly. He just winked at her, and followed the boy.

When he came back, he could hear sniffles in addition to the already crying infant. He followed the sounds to the kitchen, and found Garcia pacing and crying. "Baby girl?" he walked over.

"Oh, Derek!" she cried, hiccupping. "He threw up all over me, and… And he still feels warm, and oh…." She sniffled again. "This was a horrible idea. I'm terrible at this, and-"

"Breathe, sweetheart… I promise you he's fine. His fever was only at 100.1, it's common for babies. Besides, we gave him the medicine," he glanced at his watch "and it should be kicking in any time now. Calm down, if you're all worked up he's going to get even more upset. Here, let me try…" he offered, taking Michael in his arms. "You're alright, buddy… you'll start feeling better in no time…" he cooed, and sure enough Michael began to quiet down.

"How'd you do that?" Penelope asked, trying to wipe her shirt.

"It's probably my deep soothing voice…" Derek wiggled his eyebrows. "See? He's fine."

"How do you know? If JJ and Will get back and anything happens, I'm g-"

"Cool it, Baby Girl!" he chuckled. "My mom's a nurse; growing up, a few of my cousins were sick a lot and momma would always explain things to my aunts… I have a good memory!" he grinned, trying to make her feel better. He walked over to her, and kissed her softly. "Even covered in spit-up you're still gorgeous…" he whispered, and she blushed. "I'm going to try and put this little one to bed. I have some shirts and sweats in the go bag in my truck, my keys are in the front hall. Why don't you go grab them and get changed? I'll be back in a few," he suggested.

When he returned, Penelope had changed and was lying on the couch, her arm flung over her eyes. He approached, and lifted her legs up to sit beside her. "They're both asleep, and Michael's fever is gone. We did it!" he grinned, running a hand along her calves. Penelope lifted her arm just enough to throw him a look, to which he laughed. "What?"

"How are you not exhausted?" she asked him, yawning.

"Oh, I never said that," he followed her in a yawn, and settled beside her.

She watched him, wondering. _This was a terrible idea,_ she thought to herself. _There's no way he'll want to have kids after tonight… Terrible, terrible idea… why did you agree to this?_ She scolded herself, trying not to pout.

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 **More to come for our favourite couple, let me know what you think!  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: So... it's been a while, huh? Life has thrown me for a loop, but I hope you're still willing to come along for the ride... The end of this season hurt my heart (again) and it's taken some time to get my muse back. Here's the next installment! As always, I don't own a thing...**

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JJ and Will got back shortly after midnight, to find Penelope almost dozing on the couch. Will went to check on the kids, and JJ was about to start looking for Derek, when she heard him rummaging in the kitchen. "Hey, Garcie!" JJ greeted, walking over to her.

"You're back! How was it?" Penelope sat up.

"Wonderful, thanks again for helping out… How'd it go?"

"Good, except Michael got a bit of a fever and was crying for a bit… I couldn't get him to stop, but Derek seems to have the magic touch. We gave him some medicine, and the fever seems to have gone. He also spit up on me…"

"I'm sorry," JJ pouted. "I'm sure he's fine, it's pretty common if the fever wasn't too high. So…" she dropped her voice to a whisper when she heard Will and Derek talking in the kitchen. "Quite the practice run, huh?" she winced.

"Oh Jayje, the boys were _fine…_ But I think it gave Derek a dose of what it might be like… Maybe this wasn't the best idea?" she whispered back.

"Oh, come on… Give him more credit than that! I think you're just worried, things are still _fairly_ new between you two. This doesn't mean you're having kids tomorrow, but… You can talk about that some other time. Anything _further_ happen between you that I should know about?" she winked at her friend.

"It was so sweet seeing him with the boys… To answer your question, no, nothing else happened, I still don't know where we stand… Probably nowhere, now…"

As JJ swatted Penelope's knee, the two men emerged from the kitchen, Derek with a sandwich and a mug in hand. He walked over to the couch where the two ladies sat. "I made you some tea, sweetness, here you go" and he handed Penelope the mug.

"How was tonight?" JJ asked Derek, noting Penelope stiffen immediately.

"Great! Your boys are a blast!" He grinned, sitting across from them. "Michael had a bit of a fever but we gave him something to bring it down, he should be fine now."

"Thanks again, you two… It was so thoughtful of you to offer to babysit!"

"It was so good seeing the boys," Penelope smiled.

"So, you had a good time?" Will asked. "Was this good practice?" he teased.

"Sure it was! We'll come over any time you need a night out. Won't we, Penelope?" Derek grinned.

"Yes!" she smiled, though it didn't meet her eyes.

Derek drove Penelope home once they said their goodbyes. He didn't want to screw anything up - say something that would leave her with doubts - their conversation had to be perfect. He thought back to that night he went over to hers after work – he wanted to talk then, but he decided to wait until she was sober. Now was as good a time as any, as they had at least a 25-minute drive. He turned to glance at her and was ready to get them started, but instead he saw she had fallen asleep. Not wanting to disturb her, he let her be. "Soon, Baby Girl…" he mumbled, grinning to himself as he devised a plan.

MGMGMGMG

His plan was delayed another two weeks thanks to cases, consults, and court hearings at work. They finally were on stand-down for the next five days, and he had the perfect plan to speak to Penelope, and show her how serious he was about them and their relationship. He invited her to dinner at her favourite restaurant, and now as they sat waiting for their dessert to arrive, Derek took the time to bring up what was on his mind. "So… it's been a while," he commented, topping up his glass of wine, taking a deep breath. The next few minutes were crucial to his plan.

"It has, it's nice to not have to worry about work," she murmured, reaching for a breadstick.

He smirked, but took the moment to glance over at the waiter, nodding slightly. "I mean, we were going to have a little conversation about a few things…"

"Oh," she sighed. "Derek, I've been thinking about that."

"So have I, sweetness," he grinned. This was going to be easier than he thought!

"I don't want you to have to do anything you don't want to, or for this to be any more than it has been-"

"No, Penelope, I want it all-"

She kept talking, just as the waiter came by with their orders. "I know babysitting the boys was a bit much, and I get that it freaked you out. Why do we have to put a label on anything? I know that's not what you really want…" she put on a fake grin to hide the hurt she was feeling.

"Penelope, do you really think so little of me? Or are you projecting what you feel deep down inside? Kevin didn't even have a chance, and deep down I always hoped it was because you wanted to be with me. Now… Now I know. You think I'm not good enough… Just say it and put me out of my misery, already."

"I can't, Derek…" she whispered, getting up and running out the door. He watched her leave in complete shock. This didn't go the way he expected at all… Worst of all, she didn't notice the glint of white gold that was tied to her champagne glass.

MGMGMGMG

"Oh my God, Morgan, what happened to _YOU?!"_ Prentiss asked, doing a double take as she walked past Derek's office. Damn, he tried to hide it, but of course he worked with a team of profilers. He was about to answer, but she continued, this time stepping inside and closing the door. She went over to sit on the corner of his desk, frowning. "Is Garcia still not talking to you?"

"No, she isn't." His voice was hoarse, and he looked like he hadn't slept in days. Clearly their stand down time was not at all fruitful for him.

"I thought you were hungover, but I can see that's not it at all. What happened?" she asked, concerned.

"She walked out on me the night I was going to propose" He choked out.

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 **So... what'd you think? Where do you think this should head? Let me know in the comments! Feedback is always appreciated.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: So it's been a minute... My apologies. Work has kept me busy, and my muse decided to take a vacation without me. I finally got some inspiration (when I should have been working) so I thought I'd post. Thanks for sticking around!**

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"She walked out on me the night I was going to propose."

"Oh, Derek… I'm so sorry. I can't begin to imagine how terrible that must feel… I'm positive she's just scared. I know she cares about you deep down inside. Think of this as just a temporary setback, but don't give up. You'll both regret it."

"How can I _not_ give up, Prentiss?! She didn't even hear me out! She brought up the babysitting and just assumed that it wasn't what I wanted, then she left. She's too nice to tell me I'm not good enough." He failed to stop the tears that welled up in his eyes.

Her tone softened to almost a whisper. "Cut the crap, Morgan… We both know that's not true! You keep putting up these walls to hide the hurt, or to not risk getting hurt in the first place, but at the same time you're completely missing the chance to have what you've always wanted." She wanted to tell him what she discovered earlier, what she thought for the last few days, but it wasn't her place. That would be for Morgan and Garcia to work out on their own. Her mind drifted off to her earlier conversation with Garcia...

 ** _Earlier that day-_**

 _Penelope was supposed to be in a meeting, but she couldn't concentrate. She'd been feeling ill all morning with worry. She was currently sitting on the women's bathroom floor on the eighth floor, contemplating her next move. As the door opened, she froze. Why didn't I lock it? Crap… She thought to herself, trying to not make any noise, and calm her nerves. -And tummy. Whoever it was walked in, paused, and she hoped they would make a quick exit. Instead, they proceeded to lock the door, then turned and walked towards the stalls._

 _"_ _Hey PG," she heard Emily say._

 _"_ _PG isn't here… There's no one here, move it along, Prentiss…" She heard Emily come closer, then knock on the stall._

 _"_ _Garcia, open up, come on…"_

 _There was no way out. She had to open the stall. Slowly, she unlocked it, and stepped out._

 _"_ _Even though I probably know the answer… Are you alright?"_

 _"_ _In short, no…"_

 _Emily observed her make-up smeared face; she looked pale and clammy. This was not good, but it may have backed up her prediction from earlier in the week when she saw Penelope last with JJ. She put down her purse on the counter, and turn to face her friend. "Maybe it was something you ate?" she tried to gauge Pen's reaction._

 _"_ _I don't know. It comes and goes…" she muttered, shakily._

 _"_ _You know what I think?"_

 _"_ _What…"_

 _"_ _Remember the other day you, JJ, and I were out to lunch?"_

 _"…_ _Yes…"_

 _"_ _Do you remember what happened?"_

 _"…_ _Yes…" She had gotten sick just before the trio sat down, and wasn't up to eating while they were together._

 _"_ _Well." She reached into her purse and pulled out a brown paper bag, handing it to Garcia. "JJ and I have a small hunch… so we got you something" she smiled, her eyes twinkling._

 _"_ _What'd you get me?" Penelope asked, perking up as she opened the bag up and reached inside. Her demeanour, however, changed completely when she pulled out a pregnancy test. "Em-"_

 _"_ _Before you say anything, just try it… If we end up being wrong, then it's nothing. But if we're right…"_

 _"_ _I can't be- I… No… What-"_

 _"_ _Breathe, Garcie… We can figure it out in five minutes."_

 _Five minutes later, Emily and Penelope were sitting together on the counter, watching Emily's phone timer go off. "You ready?" Emily asked._

 _"_ _No. I can't… you look… It's probably the flu. Or food poisoning. I'm not-" Penelope sputtered, the tears starting again about four minutes and fifty-seven seconds earlier._

 _Emily took the test off the counter, and held it up. She placed it in Pen's hands, and watched her reaction._

 _"_ _P-Positive…" Penelope gasped. "That means…"_

 _"_ _That means you and Derek need to talk."_

 _"_ _He'll never- No, I can't…"_

 _"_ _I think you're just scared. He's been my partner for years and years, I know him. And deep down inside, you know him too. He'll be thrilled!"_

 _"_ _What if he isn't?"_

 _"_ _Have some faith in your Chocolate Thunder" Emily smirked. "Let's get you cleaned up, and I'll help you come up with a plan."_

 _"_ _Em… He won't talk to me. I stormed off during our dinner last week, and I've been avoiding him ever since."_

 _"_ _You know how stubborn he is, he won't give up."_

 _"_ _I know…" she sighed deeply, her eyes widening as she leaned closer to Emily. "I don't want him to think I did, I just-"_

 _Emily silenced her by taking Penelope's hands in her own. "What can I do, Garcie?"_

 _ **End of memory-**_

Emily was brought back to the present as Derek let out a long exhale, still not able to meet her eyes. "I don't know what else to do. I've tried calling her, texting, emailing, she locks herself up in her office and won't answer the door… I've even tried following Reid in there. She's not having it."

Emily was about to counter his argument, but a sharp knock interrupted them. Hotch appeared a moment later with some files in hand, but when he looked at the two his demeanour changed completely. "Morgan, you look like shit. Go home." Before Derek could reply, Hotch continued. "We don't have an active case. _Go_. Prentiss, go with him. Let me know if you need anything," and with that he closed the door and was gone.

"You heard the man, that's an order" she smirked, standing up. "I'll drive you home," she offered, her voice softening. "You will work this out, I promise. What do you say we go take Clooney for a walk, and figure all of this out?" she offered, and they were off.

"Is she here?" he asked, slowly standing up from his desk.

"She's been in a meeting with the other techs all morning," she told the half truth; that's where Penelope was supposed to be, but she knew where she really was.

"Ok…" he hesitated, then went to grab his bag and the two left the office.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you take a moment to drop a line, give me some feedback... Let me know what you think! I will do my best to update in the next little while, I have to go pick my muse up at the airport lol**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I realize it has been entirely way too long, and for that I apologize. My muse abandoned ship, and it's taken quite a while to get my inspiration back. My heart aches for Morcia stories, so I thought I'd continue to put some out there. For those still reading, thank you!**

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Emily tried to be supportive of Pen after her talk with her, but she was being too stubborn for her own good. Instead, she decided to take matters into her own hands and work with Derek instead. Thankfully Hotch let the pair leave, so Emily drove to Derek's and they picked up Clooney. After their walk, she took Derek directly to Penelope's apartment. After much discussion – and stubbornness on his part – she convinced him to go talk to his Baby Girl.

After the walk, Derek felt confident that he had a new plan, and a new resolve. Instead of wallowing and worrying and fighting what his heart – and his gut were screaming at him, he was going to swallow his doubts and take the chance. Deep down, he knew she felt the same for him. She _had_ to.

As he approached the door, he heard Penelope talking inside. He pressed his ear up to the door, so he could hear better.

"JJ, I did it at work today, and it's p- what am I going to do?" he perked up, curious. Could she be talking about- "This changes everything!" she cried. "I can't tell him."

Not waiting any longer, he gathered the courage to knock on the door.

"Who is it?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"It's me."

"Oh my- JJ, he's _HERE_! What do I do?" she whispered, though loud enough for him to hear.

"Open the door, Baby Girl…" he pleaded.

"He wants me to-"

"I want a lot of things. Hang up with JJ and come let me in. _Please_." Even though it was through the door, she could hear the pain in his voice. It froze her in place.

He stood there for a minute, but the door didn't open so he pushed on. "I don't know what to say, or what to do to make you believe that I want everything. I-I've never been here with anyone, and it scares me! But I know that together we can do anything, I know my heart is safe with you. Despite everything that happened in my life you are my constant. I know you love me, deep down inside, I know you'll call me on my shit and keep me on my toes… Please, Penelope, open the door…"

And she did. Without giving him a chance to keep talking, she started up before he even stepped inside. "You sounded so unsure when you asked me about having a baby without getting married," she mumbled, looking away.

"That's only because I don't want to pressure you. I know how you feel about marriage, I just wanted to make sure you really wanted this." He lifted her chin and encouraged her to face him. "You know I'll give you anything you want, if you'll only have me."

He sounded so unsure in that last sentence. She finally looked up at him and saw the look of defeat on his face. As she took a moment to observe him, the last few months clicked for her. She really screwed up! He wasn't holding back at all, _she_ was. The tears that welled up in her eyes started to fall, she felt sick with guilt. "Oh, Hot Stuff!" she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Held her back just as tight and didn't want to ever let go.

With one arm still holding her, he pulled the ring box out of his pocket. "Baby Girl, I want to be with you forever. Please let me be your husband?"

She pulled away from him and backed into her apartment. Her eyes darted everywhere but at him, or the ring in his hand. "Derek, there's something you need to know first."

He sighed, his proposal once again interrupted. "Yes, I need to know if you want to marry me."

"Wait, I need to tell you something. When I do, you can think about if you still want to… ask me…"

He closed the box and put it in his pocket. He didn't want her to see how badly his hand was shaking. He walked towards her after closing her front door, and they sat on the couch. "What's wrong? Why would I not w-"

She didn't wait to let him finish, instead she got up and started pacing the room. "I am total freaking out, Derek… I had no idea, and I know it's not what you might want, but it happened, and we have to…" she choked on a sob.

"Breathe, sweetheart… come, sit." He pat the couch beside her. When she continued to pace, he got up and went over to her, taking her hands in his. "Penelope, what is it?"

"I think I'm pregnant."

"You're… Wait, you think…?"

"No, I am. Prentiss and JJ got me a test because they suspected I might be, and… Derek, say something."

He was staring off toward the floor, his eyes fixed on one spot. "We're going to have a baby?" he asked, finally looking into her eyes.

"Yes. Derek, say something else. Are you upset?"

"Is… is it weird that I'm kinda bummed that JJ and Prentiss knew before I did?" he asked, bashfully.

"Oh, Derek…" her lip quivered, but before the tears could fall he kissed her, letting his emotions flow through the kiss.

"Baby Girl, I'm so… This is the best day of my life! I'm so happy, thank you…" his voice thick with emotion, he pulled her into a tight hug. "I love you so much."

"I love you too" she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder, into that spot made just for her.

"So I will pull this out for the third time."

"Third?"

He released her from his embrace, and sighed. "Yes, you took off at the restaurant before I could ask. I had it all planned out…" He pulled his phone out and scrolled through some messages. When he found what he was looking for, he passed the phone to her. She looked down, and saw the texts were to his mom. There was a picture of a champagne flute, and a ring tied to the stem. She never noticed it at the restaurant… then she read the messages underneath.

 _"It's all set up, momma!"_

 _"Good luck, Baby Boy! Let me know as soon as you can! Xoxoxo"_

 _"Momma she left."_

Penelope looked up, overwhelmed with grief. "Derek, I'm so, so sorry…"

"AND I tried asking you a few minutes ago."

"You needed to know everything first."

"Baby Girl, please. Like I would ever doubt wanting to be with you the rest of my life? Having a baby is just adding to perfection. Now quit your pouting, woman!"

"We are perfect, aren't we?"

"Complicatedly perfect, I think!" he winked, but continued, dropping to one knee in front of her. "Penelope, Baby Girl, my solace, will you marry me?"

She blinked away tears and nodded just before launching herself into his arms. "YES!"

"Finally."

"Finally?"

"Yes. To our happily ever after."

"Third time's a charm?"

"Something like that," he grinned, unable to resist kissing her again.

"I think you should let your mom know this story finally has a happy ending."

"Huh?" he asked, still too caught up in the moment to think straight.

She giggled and grabbed his phone, opening the camera. She pressed her face to his and held her hand up to show the ring. "To happy endings, Hot Stuff!" she grinned as he followed suit, and she took the picture. When she finished, she typed a quick message. Looking over, Derek read what she wrote.

 _"Momma she said yes!"_ and she hit send. Just when they were about to resume their kiss, his phone rang.

"That took three seconds longer than I expected," Derek observed, and Penelope laughed, taking the moment to finally admired her ring.

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 **A/N#2: Please drop a line, I appreciate your feedback! There's one more chapter to this, an epilogue. Stay tuned!**


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